Interesting new tenant opening in Harold Court Center

It has been almost since-years since Hurricane Charley blew through Punta Gorda and two years since the recession also sunk its teeth into the area. But now there is a little bit of light for the community because the Harold Center Court in Punta Gorda is coming to life.

Tuesday, June 8th 2010, 4:37 PM EDT

Updated:

Tuesday, June 8th 2010, 6:36 PM EDT

PUNTA GORDA: It has been almost since-years since Hurricane Charley blew through Punta Gorda and two years since the recession also sunk its teeth into the area. But now there is a little bit of light for the community because the Harold Center Court in Punta Gorda is coming to life.

"It's called Artisans' Atelier. Atelier is a French word that means workshop," explained Jerry Presseller of Sunart Gallery. "It has to do with people being able to watch the artist do their work as well as buy some of the artists work if they enjoy it."

"It's interesting, it's exciting and it adds to the art feeling of downtown Punta Gorda," Presseller went on to say.

City officials hope that tenants of the Herald Court Center will help revitalize downtown Punta Gorda and generate foot traffic. They say it's needed after Hurricane Charley destroyed the city in 2004.

"It will bring people into the community from not just within Punta Gorda, but people outside our community and bring people into our city and hopefully become an attraction," said Nancy Prafke of Team Punta Gorda, which was formed after Hurricane Charley hit to help revitalize the area.

The Artisans' Atelier signed a six-year lease with the city.

The Atelier will hold up to 15 artists. But perhaps the biggest attraction will be the fact that visitors can actually see the artists' work in progress.

"We will have half the artist there at all times, so there will always be someone there working so it won't be a matter of, ‘I got to get there at 12 because they stop at one.' There will always be someone working," said Presseller.

The Artisans' Atelier joins Florida Gulf Coast University and a controversial a Subway sandwich shop in the Harold Court Center.